In May he joined with Apollo 17 Commander Gene Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon, to support the opening of a new National Flight Academy that will teach math and science to young people through an aviation-oriented camp.

FORBES: Neil Armstrong's Immortal Footprint

But Mr Aldrin disagreed with the view that astronauts should test capabilities for a long-duration flight on the Moon before attempting a journey to Mars.

BBC: Moon astronauts urge Mars mission

So Russia has since turned its focus on China, which made its first successful manned flight in 2003 aboard the Shenzhou spacecraft and plans to put a capsule on the moon in 2013.

FORBES: Will Russia Win the Next Space Race?

The Apollo 11 moon mission turned out to be Armstrong's last space flight.

MSN: First man on moon Neil Armstrong dead at 82